Do You Have Stuck Stomach Fat? Nutritionist Kerry Torrens explains why a steady speed of weight loss may be the answer with five ways to lose your belly fat.
Understanding Belly Fat
Belly fat is the excess weight present around the midsection. It includes two main types: subcutaneous fat (beneath the skin) accounts for about 90% of fat, while the remaining 10% is visceral or intraabdominal fat accumulation that develops deep within the abdomen around vital organs like the liver and pancreas.
Why Excess Belly Fat Is Concerning
Obesity, particularly around the waistline, is a leading cause of disease. Do not be misled by polite phrases such as “spare tire”, “love handles” and “ever-expanding waistline”.
While relatively small in size compared with subcutaneous fat, visceral fat is anything but inconsequential; this is because it is metabolically active – it releases compounds that can be detrimental to health, and it also has an impact on our hormone function.
Visceral fat is associated with increased total morbidity and therefore does contribute to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular or heart disease, colonic cancer, and ESPNEDs.
Factors Contributing to Belly Fat
Many factors contribute to the growth of belly fat, including visceral fat – genetics, diet, exercise, lifestyle, and stress, to name a few.
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Assessing Belly Fat:
One way to gauge your risk is to measure your waist size.
Individuals with waist measurements above certain guidelines (PDF) should have further testing, especially if other cardiovascular risk factors are present.
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Challenges in Losing Belly Fat:
Genetics, age, hormonal changes, and other factors, make it impossible for belly fat to shed.
Hormonal changes at various stages of life like menopause may have a role to play in where and how fat is stored.
Effective Strategies for Losing Belly Fat
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Stay Active
Set a goal for 30 mins of moderate physical exercise on most days of the week. Examples include-low-intensity walking.
Cardio and resistance training exercises work the best for targeting abdominal fat.
Even hitting your marks, it comes down to long-term bond: A study suggests that just two 40-minute sessions each week can prevent your belly from looking like one.
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Cut Back on Carbs
This makes lowering carbohydrates – shown to be more effective than low-fat diets – a top strategy for a healthier waistline.
Whole grains are one of the highest GI foods, so if you want to maximize satiety, and your waist-trimming effort go for the slow GI.
- Embrace Fiber
Yet many of us tend to look over fiber-rich foods.
Dietary soluble fiber from foods such as flaxseed, oats, and avocado is filling, makes you less hungry improves gut health, and prevents fat from accumulating in the stomach.
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Prioritize Protein
Studies have shown that people with higher protein intake have lower levels of visceral fat.
Include a lean protein source with every meal and snack – Think seafood, lean meats, eggs, dairy, and plant-based proteins such as beans and pulses.
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Include Calcium and Vitamin D
Recent research has found that calcium and vitamin D, well-known for their critical role in bone health, are also known to help reduce visceral fat by influencing fat metabolism.
No pun intended, but include dairy and milk alternatives fortified with vitamins, such as canned oily fish and egg yolk!
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Consume Alcohol in Moderation
Consider patterns of use in addition to frequency, in the case of alcohol.
128 Those who drink four or more in a sitting over weekends are known to have the lowest risk of visceral fat gain. Moderation is key.
- Try Intermittent Fasting
An alternating, or intermittent, pattern of eating and fasting, can also affect signaling in the brain that helps control metabolism, and possibly improve insulin sensitivity.
Selecting a time frame that includes night eating later in the day might be impacting your sleep.
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Manage Stress
Especially, women have increased belly fat due to cortisol which is a stress hormone.
In conclusion, to control your waistline, you should try stress control methods, such as meditation, mindfulness, and physical exercise.
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Prioritize Sleep
Enough Sleep is Essential to Get Rid of Belly Fat Get quality sleep – 6 to 8 hours per night – to help aid metabolism and fat loss.
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Quit Smoking
Excessive fat is stored in the abdominal area due to smoking. Stop smoking: Smoking is one of the best ways known to man to ruin your overall health and increase the speed of the accumulation of fat in your belly.
Always, before you follow any drastic diet changes you must get approval from your healthcare provider first to ensure that they are appropriate and safe for you.
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